Field Goal %

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Bench Pts

Eastern hits 10 3-pointers and shoots season-high 46
percent from the field, but California dominates in the
post

The Eastern Washington University women’s basketball team
had its best offensive performance of the season on Friday (Nov.
23) in Berkeley, Calif. But that wasn’t quite enough to get
past 11th-ranked California, as EWU fell, 91-58, to open the 2012
Cal Classic by Doubletree.

Eastern (1-3) will wrap up tournament play on Saturday (Nov. 24)
with a consolation game against Cal State Fullerton at 1 p.m.

After shooting 58 percent in the first half, including 7-of-12
from beyond the arc, the Eagles trailed the nationally-ranked
Golden Bears by just six points at the half.

“We came out really aggressive, and stuck to our game
plan,” said EWU head coach Wendy Schuller. “I was happy
to see us get better in terms of sharing the ball and taking what
the defense gives us instead of forcing shots.”

California scored the first eight points of the game, but EWU
responded with a 16-4 run that put the red and white ahead by six
points at the 13:58 mark.

Eastern held onto that lead until Cal hit back-to-back jumpers
with just under eight minutes remaining to take a 28-25
advantage.

Over the next six minutes, the Golden Bears managed to extend
their lead to 39-30, but the Eags continued to answer. EWU
converted on its next three possessions to pull within two at
39-37, which forced Cal to call a timeout.

Coming out of the break, the Golden Bears hit two quick baskets
as time expired to take a narrow 43-37 lead at the half.

“Cal is a good team, and they weren’t going to
stop,” said Schuller. “They got really aggressive with
the press early in the second half, and in a lot of ways, just wore
us down.”

Within the first five minutes of the second period, California
put 13 points on the board, while forcing six Eagle turnovers. EWU
had only one shot opportunity in four and a half minutes.

Eastern made just 8-of-24 shots in the second half, compared to
20-of-30 for the Golden Bears. Most of those points for Cal came in
the post, as the home team used its size and strength to record 34
points in the paint. Cal also out-rebounded EWU, 39-17.

“Against a team that good, you pretty much have play
perfect basketball,” said Schuller. “They were big and
athletic. We diverted from the game plan early in the second half,
and that hurt us. We weren’t able to do the things we wanted
to do defensively, and Cal just had their way with us. They were
basically able to score at will in the final 10 minutes.”

Despite a challenging second half, Eastern ended the game
shooting 46 percent from the field - its best offensive efficiency
in the young 2012-13 season. The Eagles also hit a season-high 10
3-pointers, which was twice as many as Cal.

Junior Chenise Pakootas was responsible for four of those
long-range baskets, as she was one of three Eagles to finish with
12 points.

Junior Aubrey Ashenfelter also scored 12 on 5-of-11 shooting,
while junior Laura Hughes made 5-of-6 for 12 points as well.

Hughes also tied her career-high in steals with three, while
Ashenfelter led the team in assists with four.